State v. Williams

786 So. 2d 785, 2001 WL 360139
Louisiana Court of Appeal·Decided April 11, 2001·No. 00-KA-1850·Published·Cited by 24 cases

Opinion

786 So.2d 785 (2001)

STATE of Louisiana,
v.
Ronnell WILLIAMS.

No. 00-KA-1850.

Court of Appeal of Louisiana, Fifth Circuit.

April 11, 2001.

*788 Paul D. Connick, Jr., District Attorney, 24th Judicial District Court, Terry M. Boudreaux, Alison Wallis, Donald Rowan, Jr., Assistant District Attorneys, Gretna, LA, Counsel for State.

J. Rodney Baum, Baton Rouge, LA, Counsel for defendant-appellant.

Court composed of Judges SOL GOTHARD, CLARENCE E. McMANUS and JAMES C. GULOTTA, Pro Tempore.

McMANUS, Judge.

In this appeal, Defendant Ronnell Williams appeals his conviction and sentence. We affirm the conviction and sentence, but remand the matter for compliance with LSA-R.S.C.Cr.P. art. 930.8.

STATEMENT OF THE CASE

On December 13, 1999, the Jefferson Parish District Attorney filed a bill of information charging Defendant, Ronnell Williams, with Count 1, robbery of Louis Cheramie while armed with a dangerous weapon, a violation of LSA-R.S. 14:64, and Count 2, aggravated criminal damage to a truck tail gate belonging to Louis Cheramie, a violation of LSA-R.S. 14:55. Defendant was arraigned on December 16, 1999, and pled not guilty. Defendant filed a motion to suppress his statement and identification, which was denied on March 14, 2000. Also on that date, Defendant filed a motion to continue trial, which was denied. On March 14 and 15, 2000, the case was *789 tried before a 12-person jury,[1] which unanimously found Defendant guilty as charged. Defendant was sentenced on May 26, 2000, to imprisonment at hard labor for 49½ years without benefit of probation, parole, or suspension of sentence. The State filed a multiple offender bill of information alleging Defendant to be a second felony offender. On August 11, 2000, Defendant admitted the allegations of the multiple bill. On that same date, the trial court vacated the original sentence and sentenced Defendant to imprisonment at hard labor for 49½ years without benefit of probation or suspension of sentence. Defendant filed a motion for appeal on August 14, 2000, which was granted.

FACTS

Louis Cheramie, a life insurance agent with Union National Life Insurance Company, testified for the State that on November 17, 1999, at approximately 4:00 p.m., he collected money from a customer at Jefferson Place Apartments, and then got back into his truck. He started the truck and attempted to shut the door, but it wouldn't shut. Cheramie looked up, the door flew open, and he saw Defendant, who had a gun. Defendant demanded money, so Cheramie reached into his pockets and gave Defendant all the cash he had, which was about $300.00 or $400.00. Defendant asked him to open his pockets and show him whether there was any more money in them. He then told Cheramie to get the "f ..." out of there. Cheramie started driving, and a couple of seconds later he heard a gunshot, but continued driving. He drove about two miles to a customer's house and called the police, who arrived about three or four minutes later. At trial, Cheramie identified a photograph of his truck with a bullet lodged in the tailgate of the truck. He stated that the bullet was not there before he was robbed. Immediately after the robbery, Cheramie told the police that the person who robbed him was an unknown black male, about 5'10" or 5'11", 210 pounds, unshaven, and wearing an off-white coat and jeans. At approximately 7:00 or 8:00 p.m. on the night of the robbery, Cheramie received a phone call from Detective John Carroll, who asked Cheramie to come to his office. Cheramie testified that when he got there, the detective showed him a photo lineup, and Cheramie identified Defendant as the person who robbed him. Cheramie also identified Defendant in court as the person who robbed him.

Detective John Carrroll of the Jefferson Parish Sheriffs Office testified for the State that on November 17, 1999, Cheramie identified Defendant from a photo *790 lineup as the person who robbed him. Detective Carroll stated that he received two calls at the detective bureau from two persons who claimed that Defendant was the individual who robbed Cheramie. On November 18, 1999, Detective Carroll located and arrested Defendant, and read him his rights. After Defendant indicated that he understood his rights, he gave a statement and confessed to committing the crime.

Assistant District Attorney, Paul Schneider, called by the defense as a witness, testified that there was a note in the file which indicated that Cheramie said he believed he had met the individual who robbed him one time before the robbery, and that he may have done business with the mother of the Defendant. Schneider's notes also showed that Cheramie did not tell law enforcement that he had met Defendant before, because Cheramie did not realize this until later, when Defendant's mother brought it to his attention.

ASSIGNMENT OF ERROR NUMBER ONE

As his first assignment of error, the Defendant argues that the trial court erred by denying his Motion to Continue the trial.

On January 31, 2000, defense counsel, Sandra Fuselier, requested a continuance of trial. The continuance was granted, and the trial was re-set for February 2, 2000. On February 2, 2000, Fuselier requested another continuance. The trial was ordered continued and re-set for March 13, 2000. On March 13, 2000, Defendant's new counsel, Yvonne Hughes, requested a continuance of Defendant's motion to suppress hearing and trial. The hearing and the trial were ordered continued and re-set for March 14, 2000. On March 14, 2000, Defendant's motion to suppress was denied. Defense counsel reurged her motion to continue trial, arguing in her motion (filed on March 14, 2000) and in court that she needed time to obtain transcripts of the motion to suppress hearing, that she had previously scheduled conflicts, that she needed time to vote, and that she was newly retained counsel and needed additional time to prepare the defense. The court denied the motion. Defendant filed two writ applications with this Court, both of which were denied.[2]

LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 707 requires a motion for continuance to be in writing and filed at least seven days prior to trial, although in the interest of justice, the trial court may grant a continuance upon written motion at any time after a contradictory hearing. State v. Winfrey, 97-427 (La. App. 5 Cir. 10/28/97), 703 So.2d 63, 68, writ denied, 98-0264 (La.6/19/98), 719 So.2d 481. The granting of a continuance is discretionary on the part of the trial judge. LSA-C.Cr.P. art. 712; State v. Kelly, 96-903 (La.App. 5 Cir. 11/12/97), 704 So.2d 800, 807-808, writ denied, 97-3104 (La.4/9/98), 717 So.2d 1142; State v. Wilson, 96-251 (La.App. 5 Cir. 10/1/96), 683 So.2d 775, 776. The denial of a motion for continuance is not grounds for reversal absent abuse of discretion and a showing of specific prejudice. State v. Kelly, 704 So.2d at 807-808; State v. Wilson, 683 So.2d at 776.

Defense counsel argued at trial that a continuance was necessary because she was newly retained and needed additional time to prepare a defense. It is well settled that a defendant in a criminal trial cannot, by a last minute change of counsel, force a postponement. State v. Leggett, *791 363 So.2d 434, 436 (La.1978); State v. Anthony, 347 So.2d 483, 487 (La.1977). In State v. Divine, 98-812 (La.App. 5 Cir. 5/19/99), 738 So.2d 614, 617, writ denied, 99-2393 (La.2/4/00), 754 So.2d 222,

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